(SPEEDWAY 1)
GREAT Britain star Tai Woffinden needs a maximum of six points to clinch the World Championship title at Saturday’s final Grand Prix of the season in Poland.Woffinden will ride through the pain barrier in the Torun event, having suffered further collarbone damage last time out in Stockholm, and every point dropped by rival Jarek Hampel will reduce the Wolverhampton rider’s target.Woffinden said: “I’ve always said my priority is to give my best in every race and we shall see if that’s good enough. I’m aiming for a podium finish on Saturday night, I want to finish the series strongly.“I’ve been having treatment over the last week and the pain is under control, I’m feeling stronger every day and I’m on a good position to go for it in Torun on Saturday.”(SPEEDWAY 2)
EDINBURGH took full control of their Premier League play-off group with a 49-41 win at Ipswich on Thursday.The Monarchs trailed by six points with five heats to go but produced a strong finish with three 5-1s in the closing stages, including two in the last two races.Flying reserve Derek Sneddon scored 16+1 for the visitors, with No.1 Craig Cook adding a paid maximum from five rides.The four league points gained by the Scottish side takes them ahead of Workington on race-points difference, and only a heavy home defeat in Friday’s return at home to Ipswich would deny them a place in the Final.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
WORKINGTON are set to stage their final track action of the season with the Cumberland Open on Satruday – as the Comets accept a place in the Premier League Grand Final is now unlikely.The Derwent Park club needed Edinburgh to drop points at Ipswich on Thursday, but the Monarchs took all four to go to the top of the group table.Comets boss Tony Jackson said: “On behalf of everyone at the club I would like to congratulate the Monarchs on their success as, barring a very freak result, it is them that will top the play-off group and proceed to the Grand Final to decide the 2013 Premier League champions.”The Cumberland Open will feature the remaining six fit Comets, minus the injured Tero Aarnio, plus former Workington men Craig Cook, Kevin Doolan, Ulrich Ostergaard and Simon Nielsen, and several in-form Premier League riders.(SPEEDWAY 4)
SOMERSET face a busy weekend despite the postponement of their Premier League play-off at Redcar on Thursday.The Rebels will return to the North-East next Thursday but host the Bears on Friday before visiting Rye House on Sunday in the second leg of the KO Cup Final, holding a healthy 28-point advantage from the opening clash.Somerset boss Garry May said: “Whilst we obviously want to bring the KO Cup back to Somerset with us, all thoughts of that are put to one side until we have completed Friday’s play-off match against Redcar. Only then will we allow our thoughts to move on to the second leg of our Cup Final.“In saying that, however, we are obviously delighted to be going to Hoddesdon with a 28-point lead, but we are only at the halfway stage of things and we cannot, and will not, take anything for granted ahead of Sunday’s second leg.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
MILDENHALL Chairman Kevin Jolly says there is still plenty to race for this season despite seeing their hopes of retaining the National League title dashed this week.The Fen Tigers lost out to King’s Lynn, having been reduced to four riders on the night due to injuries, but will now look to defend a ten-point lead at the Isle of Wight on Tuesday in a bid to reach the KO Cup Final.Jolly said: “Losing Josh (Bates) was one blow too many for us, and with Sam (Woods) also withdrawing with a knee injury we basically ran out of riders at the end and luck! That said well done to Kings Lynn, they rode well at our place on Sunday when they were missing riders and finished the job well. We all wish them the very best in the Final.“It is not all doom and gloom though, we still have a KO Cup semi-final second leg next week to race. We have a decent lead to defend and we will be giving it everything we have to give us one more big meeting, and to finish the season hopefully on a real high!”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY OCTOBER 4:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Edinburgh v Ipswich 7.30, Somerset v Redcar 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Newcastle 7.15SUPPORTERS’ PAIRS TROPHY: Coventry 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 5:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Mildenhall 7pmCUMBERLAND OPEN: Workington 7pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 6:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Newcastle v Redcar 6.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Rye House v Somerset 2pmCHALLENGE: Leicester Select v Belle Vue Select 5pmARGUS SUSSEX CHAMPIONSHIPS: Eastbourne 3.30
MONDAY OCTOBER 7:ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Poole v Birmingham 7.30
